Months later-

Elena’s troublemaker reputation died within the first four months of her being born.
Which was good. Her parents were starting to get sick. Literally sick, from exhaustion at night. Her dad was starting up his strict work hours again.
“Our diabla pequeña,” her dad continued to call her, during those last few weeks of her crying episodes. Somehow, though, the enthusiasm in his voice faded significantly.
They’d already tried during the third month to switch her food, change up her routine, change her diapers, but she didn’t seem to react to any of this. They took her to the doctor, once, though not very worried (because at the time, her clear voice still excited them to no end). He of course took tests and checked her over, but in the end, the doctor had assured them that- simply- babies cry. And that was that.
Near the beginning of her fifth month, they began to get a little concerned, so it was a miracle when- suddenly- she would go quiet for hours on end.
“Beautiful!” Christopher had cried out. “Beautiful, Elena!”
“But what if something’s wrong?” Yolanda had asked worriedly.
After a pause, they made another appointment, where they were reassured- again- that babies cry, and then they don’t. And that’s that.
So, happily, the house became quieter. The neighbors became relieved. The Rodriguez family could sleep. All was well.
Elena especially. Because now poor Elena could have some entertainment in her life, other than getting carried and pooping and sleeping. Finally, she could learn some things, and watch interestingly at something other than her parents watching her.
Mainly, it was the ghosts.
They didn’t scare her, for reasons that weren’t super clear. Maybe it was because they never seemed to notice her. Maybe it was because they had a funny habit of running into each other, yelling curses and stabbing each other in the heart, which- of course- caused no pain to the victim.
Most likely, it was because they felt familiar.
There was something to them… Elena felt not necessarily safe, but comfortable. This was home territory, for whatever reason.
And with the soothing sounds of ghosts threatening to kill each other, she drifted to sleep soundlessly each night.

Notes

baby elena